Material handling apparatus



P 1967 K. w. FORSTER ETAL 3.339,753

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1965 INVENTORS KLAUS W. FORSTER DONALD WILLIAM SCHAPER ATTORNEYS Sept- 1967 K. w. FORSTER ETAL 3,339,753

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 50, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5'

INVENTORLS KLAUS W. FORSTER DONA LD WILLIAM SCHAPER ATTORNEYS Sept. 1967 K. w. FORSTER ETAL 3,339,753

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 30, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS KLAUS W. FORSTER DONAL D WILLIAM SCHAPER ATTORN EYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,339,753 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 3,339,753 MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Klaus W. Forster, Brecksville, and Donald William Schaper, Alliance, Ohio, assignors to Kerma Corporation, Alliance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 506,615 6 Claims. (Cl. 21220) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A material handling apparatus comprising a trolley movable along an elongated overhead support and having a hoist cable drum supported thereon for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the path of travel of the trolley and for linear movement along its axis of rotation with one end projecting to one longitudinal side of the support, a hoist cable connected to the drum and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to the previously-mentioned side of the support adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from the drum in response to drum rotation, power means for rotating the drum, and means effecting linear movement of the drum equal to the pitch of the cable on the drum per revolution of the drum whereby the depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to the aforementioned side of the support as the cable is wrapped on and unwrapped from the drum as in raising or lowering a load.

The invention relates to overhead material handling apparatus and more particularly single girder bridge cranes.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved hoisting apparatus comprising a hoist cable connected to a power driven cable drum on a movable trolley and having the depending load carrying reach or portion thereof close to one side of the trolley support wherein the cable drum is positioned at right angles to the direction of trolley movement and moves axially per revolution of the drum an amount equal to the pitch of the cable on the drum whereby both the dead and the live loads which overhang or are outboard of the trolley support are reduced to a minimum.

A more specific object of the invent-ion is the provision of a novel and improved material handling apparatus comprising a hoist cable drum supported on a trolley movable along an elongated overhead support both for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the path of trolley movement and linearly of its axis of rotation with one end projecting to one longitudinal side of the trolley support, a hoist cable connected to the drum and having a depending portion or section closely adjacent to the previously-mentioned side of the support adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from the drum in response to drum rotation, power means for rotating the drum, and means effecting linear movement of the drum per revolution thereof equal to the pitch of the cable on the drum in combination with means for supporting the cable drum at opposite sides of the depending cable section but essentially above the trolley support along which the trolley travels, whereby the depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to the aforementioned side of the support as the cable is wrapped on and unwrapped from the drum as in raising or lowering a load and the twisting effect of the dead and live loads on the trolley support are a minimum.

The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations and arrangements of parts and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an overhead traveling crane embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1 with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the cable drum arrangement and drive therefor with parts shown in section and parts broken away;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view taken approximately along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the drum taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 3.

Although the present invention is susceptible of different embodiments and of being utilized in various applications, it is herein shown as embodied in a traveling overhead crane of the single girder bridge type including a trolley provided with hoisting apparatus which includes a hook or other types of load grabs connected to a hoist cable operatively connected to and reeled on and off a hoist cable drum to raise and lower the hook or grab. It is to be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific preferred embodiment shown. On the contrary, it is intended to hereby cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, the crane shown comprises a single girder type bridge A supported at opposite ends by a pair of trucks B and C adapted to move along a bridge runway formed by the rails 10 and 11 located along opposite sides of a building D or like structure the floor space of which defines a Work area to be serviced by the overhead crane. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bridge A spans the width of the building D and is driven lengthwise of the building on the rails 10 and 11 by means of suitable reversible electric motors E (FIG. 2) carried by the bridge trucks B and C and operatively connected for driving one or more of the bridge truck heels 12 through a suitable gear train 13.

The bridge A supports a trolley F mounted for movement along the length of bridge B on suitable rails 14 and 15 on the upper side of the bridge and which rails form a trolley trackway upon the bridge A. The trolley F carries hoisting apparatus indicated generally by G for raising and lowering a load hook 16 which is attached to the hoist cable 17. The trolley F comprises pairs of wheels 20 and 21 fixed to opposite ends of axles 22 and 23, respectively, rotatably supported in the trolley frame 26 and adjacent to opposite ends thereof and is adapted to be moved along the bridge A by drive means I which comprises a reversible electric motor 24 having an output shaft 27 connected through a coupling 28 and a gear train comprising gears 30, 32, 34 and 36 to axle 22. Selective operation of motors E and 24 will position the trolley over any selected portion of the floor of the building D so that the hook 16 is connectable to loads to be transferred between selected areas of the floor space.

The hoisting apparatus G comprises a generally cylindrical cable drum 40 mounted on the trolley F by means of drum housing or support 42 fixed to or forming a part of the trolley frame 26. The drum is supported with its axis of rotation extending generally horizontal and substantially at right angles to the length of bridge A and is rotated and translated axially in the housing 42 by drive means indicated generally by H. In the preferred embodiment, the drum periphery has two continuous helical cable receiving grooves 46 and 48 machined or otherwise formed thereon. The turns of the helical double grooves 46 and 48 are spaced by a continuous helical barrier or separator 50. When viewed in cross section the appearance of the grooves is that of rounded Ws separated or spaced by barriers 50. In the preferred embodiment two lengths of hoist cable 17A and 17B are simultaneously payed out or wrapped on the drum 40 being received in and payed out from one of the grooves 46 and 48, respectively. This groove arrangement provides for paying out or winding in of the hoist cable while maintaining each cable winding spaced from the other windings thereby providing orderly wrapping and unwrapping of the hoist cable on and off the drum and virtually eliminates cable tangling on the drum.

The drum 40 is driven by drive means H which comprises a reversible electric motor 52 drivingly connected to a drum drive shaft 54 through reduction gear 56 secured to one end of shaft 54 and gear 58 secured to a second shaft 60 connected to the motor shaft 61 of the motor 52 by a coupling 62. The shafts 60 and 61 are provided with suitable braking mechanisms 63 and 64. The other end of drum shaft 54 extends into a hollow area 65 of the drum and has a coupling mechanism 66 fixedly keyed thereto which rotates therewith and imparts rotation to the drum. The coupling mechanism comprises a collar 67 fixedly keyed to drum shaft 54 which secures the coupling mechanism against linear movement along shaft 54 and a pair of radial arms 68 fixed to the collar 67 and extending radially therefrom with their opposite ends 70 slidably engaging elongated keyways 72 disposed 180 apart in the interior of the drum. This driving connection permits the drum to translate or move linearly with reference to its axis of rotation as it is rotated by shaft 54.

The outer or right-hand end of the drum as viewed in FIG. 2 is supported and the drum is caused to move lengthwise of its axis by rollers 74, in the present instance four, supported between two spaced flanges 76, 78 extending inwardly toward the drum from the inside of drum housing 42 and arranged to engage otherwise unoccupied portions of the cable grooves 46 and/or 48 causes the drum to translate relative to shaft 54 and coupling 66 due to the helical groove arrangement. The axis of rollers 74 are positioned to correspond to the pitch of the helical grooves so that they properly engage in the grooves without creating unnecessary friction therebetween.

The opposite or left-hand end of the drum is rotatably supported for linear movement by means of a carriage 80 including rollers 82 which run linearly in guideways 84 supported on the drum frame 42 parallel with the axis of rotation of the drum. A collar 86 fixed to and projecting from left drum cover plate 88 and rotatable with the drum is rotatably mounted in the carriage 80. Collar 86 surrounds shaft 54 and has a larger inside diameter than the diameter of the shaft to provide a clearance 89 therebetween so that the drum may move freely lengthwise of the shaft. Suitable bearing means 90 are interposed between the carriage 80 and collar 86 permitting the collar to rotate relative to carriage 80 but preventing relative axial movement therebetween thereby causing the carriage to move along guideways 84 as the drum moves lengthwise of its axis of rotation. Alternatively, where the load requirements of the drum permit, the carriage 80, rollers 82, and guideways 84 could be eliminated and the inboard or left-hand end of the drum could be supported directly on drum shaft 54.

As motor 52 drives shaft 54 the drum is rotated and depending upon the direction of rotation wraps or unwraps the reaches 17A and 17B of hoist cable 17 into and out of the grooves 46 and 48 and incident to such rotation moves outwardly or inwardly of one side of the trolley F and bridge A along shaft 54 maintaining the position of cable wrap or unwrap at a predetermined distance from side 92 of the bridge girder so that the overhang of the load relative to the girder will remain constant and the girder will not interfere with the hoist cable, hook or load secured to the hook during hoisting operation. In addition, moving the drum linearly as it rotates provides for orderly wrapping and unwrapping of the cable 17 into or from grooves 46 and 48 so that the cable is disposed on the drum periphery in a series of spaced convolutions or windings and when so disposed eliminates tangling or snarling of the hoist cable.

Although in the preferred embodiment the drum is translated by rollers 74 it should be apparent that other suitable mechanism such as ball bearings, fixed shoes, a nut or the like may also be employed, if desired, to perform this function. The rollers 74 are shown at the outboard side of the hoist cables but close thereto which arrangement reduces to a minimum the overhang of the outboard support for the drum relative to the side 92 of the girder A and provides for movement of the drum to its extreme inboard position when the hook 16 is raised to its uppermost position which is generally the desired drum position when the crane is idle, nevertheless, the rollers could be mounted on the inboard side of the hoist cable without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The trolley E is provided with a pair of anti-tip wheels 94 depending from trolley frame 26 at the side thereof opposite the hoisting side and which are arranged to run along trackway 96 supported along the upper portion of side 97 of the bridge girder A and which prevent the trolley from tipping due to the couple produced about the opposite side of the trolley by the hoisting action. An L-shaped shoe 98 depends from the other side of the trolley frame 26 i.e., the hoisting side with the horizontally extending portion of the L-shaped shoe aligned with but normally spaced from a retainer strip 99 extend ing along the upper end of the girder side 92 so that tipping of the trolley about track 15 is prevented by engagement of shoe 98 with retainer strip 99.

The hoist cable 17 shown is a double reeved cable having its free ends connected to the same end of the drum so that the resulting double cable reaches 17A, 17B are simultanously wrapped or unwrapped from the drum. The cable has been omitted from the drum in FIGS. 2 and 3 for clarity and is shown in phantom lines in FIG- URES 2 and 4. The cable reeving, shown in FIGURE 2, can be traced from the drum 40 where it extends through an opening in the bottom wall of the drum housing 42 downward to under and around pulley 100 which is one of six pulleys carried by the hook block 102, upward, over and around pulley 104 which is one of a group of four pulleys supported by the drum support 42, downward, under and around pulley 106, upward, over and around pulley 108, downward, under and around pulley 110, upward, over and around pulley 112 which is supported by drum frame 42 with its axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the axis of the other pulleys, downward, under and around pulley 114, upward, over and around pulley 116, downward, under and around pulley 118, upward, over and around pulley 120, downward, under and around pulley 122, and upward to drum 40 where the other end of the cable is anchored disposing the depending cable lengths 17A, 17B in side-by-side relationship in the drum grooves 46 and 48. This cable reeving arrangement provides a plumb hook with the cable maintaining the hook or grab in a vertical plane extending longitudinally of the bridge during vertical movement by drum 40 to obtain hook stability. Single cable reeving with one of the ends of the cable connected to the drum can also be utilized if the hoisting requirements of the crane permit.

An operator in cab k supported on the underside of bridge A by appropriate control of motors E, 24 and 52 can position the trolley F over any selected area of the building floor and effect lowering of the hook 16 or other suitable type of load handling device connected to the hoist cable 17 so that it can engage a. load. To lower the hook, drum 40 is rotated and moved outwardly of the housing 42 as the successive cable convolutions pay out maintaining the distance between the depending lengths of hoist cable 17A and 17B and side 92 of the girder substantially constant. When the hook is in its lowermost position the drum is in its outermost extended position from trolley F. When the hook is raised the drum is rotated in the direction to move it into the housing or frame 42 on the trolley and as the cable engages the helical grooves 46 and 48 the distance between the cable and side 92 of the girder is maintained substantially constant during the hoisting operation.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that the objects heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and that there has been provided a novel and improved overhead hoisting apparatus including a trolley supporting a cable for movement along one side of the trolley support and which maintains a predetermined distance between the depending portion of the hoist cable and a side of the trolley support in addition to providing for orderly cab-1e wrapping on and unwrapping from the hoist drum preventing tangling or fouling of the hoist cable during operation. While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood, as stated previously, that the invention is not limited to the particular structure or environment shown, but it is intended to hereby cover all adaptations, modifications, and uses thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a material handling system, an elongated overhead support means, trolley means mounted on said support for movement along the upper side thereof, hoisting apparatus including a hoist cable drum carried by said trolley means, means supporting said drum for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the length of said support means and for linear movement along said axis of rotation and with one end of said drum projecting to one longitudinal side of said support means, hoist cable means connected to said drum and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to said one side of said support means adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from said drum in response to drum rotation, drive means for rotating said drum, and means effecting linear movement of said drum equal to the pitch of said cable on said drum per revolution of said drum whereby said depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to said one side of said support means as said cable is wrapped on and unwrapped from said drum.

2. In an overhead material handling apparatus, an elongated overhead support means, trolley means mounted on said support means for movement along the upper side thereof, hoist apparatus carried by said trolley means and including a hoist cable drum having a cable receiving helical groove on its periphery, means supporting said drum for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the length of said support means (and for linear movement along said axis of rotation and with one end of said drum including a portion of said groove projecting to one longitudinal side of said support means, hoist cable means connected to said drum and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to said one side of said support means adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from said cable groove in response to drum rotation, drive means for rotating said drum, and means effective upon rotation of said drum for imparting linear movement to said drum equal to the pitch of said helical groove per revolution of said drum whereby said depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to said one side of said support means as said cable is wrapped on and unwrapped from said drum.

3. In an overhead material handling apparatus, an elongated overhead support means, trolley means mounted on said support means for movement along the upper side thereof, hoist apparatus carried by said trolley means and including a hoist cable drum having a cable receiving helical groove on its periphery, means including bearing means engaging in said helical groove supporting said drum for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the length of said support means and for linear movement along said axis of rotation and with one end of said drum including a portion of said groove projecting to one longitudinal side of said support means, hoist cable means connected to said drum and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to said one side of said support means adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from said cable groove in response to drum rotation, and drive means for rotating said drum, said bearing means being effective upon rotation of said drum to imparting linear movement to said drum equal to the pitch of said helical groove per revolution of said drum whereby said depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to said one side of said support means as said cable is wrapped and unwrapped from said drum.

4. In an overhead material handling apparatus, an elongated overhead support means, trolley means mounted on said support means for movement along the upper side thereof, hoist apparatus carried by said trolley means and including a hoist cable drum having a cable receiving helioal groove on its periphery, means supporting said drum on said trolley mean for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the length of said support means and for linear movement (along said axis of rotation and with one end of said drum including a portion of said groove projecting to one longitudinal side of said support means, said means sup porting said drum on said trolley means including bearing means at said one side of said support means, hoist oable means connected to said drum and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to said one side of said support means adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from said cable groove in response to drum rotation, drive means for rotating said drum, and means effective upon rotation of said drum for imparting linear movement to said drum equal to the pitch of said helical groove per revolution of said drum whereby said depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to said one side of said support means as said cable is wrapped and unwrapped on said drum.

5. In an overhead material handling apparatus, an elongated single girder overhead support means, trolley means mounted on said girder for movement over the upper side thereof, hoist apparatus carried by said trolley means and including a hoist cable drum having a cable receiving helical groove on its periphery, means supporting said drum on said trolley for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the length of said girder and for linear movement along said axis of rotation and with one end of said drum including a portion of said groove projecting to one longitudinal side of said girder, hoist cable means connected to said drum :and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to said one side of said girder adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from said cable groove in response to drum rotation, drive means for rotating said drum, and means eflfective upon rotation of said drum for imparting linear movement to said drum equal to the pitch of said helical groove per revolution of said drum whereby said depending cable portion is maintained at substantially the same close position to said one side of said girder as said cable is wrapped on and unwrapped from said drum.

6. In an overhead material handling apparatus, an elongated single girder overhead support means, trolley means mounted on said girder for movement over the upper side thereof, hoist apparatus carried by said trolley means and including a hoist oable drum having a cable receiving helical groove on its periphery, means supporting said drum on said trolley for rotation about an axis extending substantially horizontal and at right angles to the length of said girder and for linear movement along said axis of rotation and with one end of said drum including a portion of said groove projecting to one longitudinal side of said girder, said means supporting said drum on said trolley means including bearing means engaging in said portion of said helical groove located at said one side of said girder, hoist cable means connected to said drum and having a portion depending therefrom closely adjacent to said one side of said girder adapted to carry a load and be wrapped on and unwrapped from said cable groove in response to drum rotation, drive means for rotating said drum, and means effective upon rotation of References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,623 6/1931 Ferguson 254186 2,868,504 1/1959 Minty 254186 2,966,338 12/1960 Simons 254 -18-6 3,043,444 7/1962 Melton 21220 3,260,508 7/1966 Powell 254168 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM, AN ELONGATED OVERHEAD SUPPORT MEANS, TROLLEY MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT ALONG THE UPPER SIDE THEREOF, HOISTING APPARATUS INCLUDING A HOIST CABLE DRUM CARRIED BY SAID TROLLEY MEANS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID DRUM FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LENGTH OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND FOR LINEAR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID AXIS OF ROTATION AND WITH ONE END OF SAID DRUM PROJECTING TO ONE LONGITUDINAL SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS, HOIST CABLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID DRUM AND HAVING A PORTION DEPENDING THEREFROM CLOSELY ADJACENT TO SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS ADAPTED TO CARRY A LOAD AND BE WRAPPED ON AND UNWRAPPED FROM SAID DRUM IN RESPONSE TO DRUM ROTATION, DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM, AND MEANS EFFECTING LINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID DRUM EQUAL TO THE PITCH OF SAID CABLE ON SAID DRUM PE RREVOLUTION OF SAID DRUM WHEREBY SAID DEPENDING CABLE PORTION IS MAINTAINED AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME CLOSE POSITION TO SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS AS SAID CABLE IS WRAPPED ON AND UNWRAPPED FROM SAID DRUM. 